Now I understand why people get $1 meals at McDonalds

[Kamban]

Yesterday we decided to not cook or eat leftovers and decided to have a take out dinner. My spouse and daughter picked Panera bread.

I order a basic Caprese sandwich and a small soup. My wife wants a Med veggie sandwich and a small tomato soup. My daughter gets the Pick two and had Mac'Cheese and a soup. And the bill, with a $3 tip comes to $45. Freaking unbelievable. If I had ordered some somoothies or a bowl it might even have gone past a Benjamin. The sandwich and soup was not filling and we had to top it up with some stuff at home.

As a doc I can afford that nearly $50 bill for just 3 people. How do people who earn much less and have three or 4 kids afford to go places like Panera, which now costs as much as a restaurant meal. No wonder they go to McDonalds and Jack in the Box and get all those calories for under $10. A couple of Papa John's pizzas would have been less than half the price and fed double the number of people.

[Lordosis]

I think Taco bell wins if you are looking to max calories per dollar.

It also wins with how fast you need a restroom.

In this case 2 wins makes a loss.

[TheDangerZone]

I usually avoid "fancy" fast casual chains like Panera because the bang for the buck is poor. We either go cheap with Subway, Chick-fil-A, Chinese take out ($20-25 and we literally have leftovers for two more meals) or go with a nicer restaurant in the $50-60 range. This is for my wife, myself and our toddler who doesn't eat much.

As far as how people with lesser means do it, food is like any other commodity and irresponsible spending. I know a lot of low earning staff who do grub hub and uber eats these days.

[Peds]

And the bill, with a $3 tip comes to $45. Freaking unbelievable.

7% tip is random.

[burritos]

Eating out can be expensive, but for this cohort here, I suspect it's not impeding digital wealth creation by one iota.

[Dusn]

Is Panera bread actually any healthier? I just assume that if I haven’t made the food myself, it’s probably unhealthy.

[Lordosis]

Eating out can be expensive, but for this cohort here, I suspect it's not impeding digital wealth creation by one iota.

My typical lunch I pack and bring in cost about 1-2% of my hourly wage.

The average nurse and staff in my office order in quite a bit and it is something like 50% of their hourly wage. I do not get it.

[CordMcNally]

Panera has to be one of the most underwhelming restaurants there is. Expensive, not even that healthy, and just doesn't taste that great (at least to me). I'd give it 1.5 double bacon cheeseburgers out of a possible 5.

[childay]

Panera has to be one of the most underwhelming restaurants there is. Expensive, not even that healthy, and just doesn't taste that great (at least to me). I'd give it 1.5 double bacon cheeseburgers out of a possible 5.

Agreed, usually disappointing. The sourdough bread bowl with broccoli cheese soup is the exception but I can't let myself order it.

[jacoavlu]

the broad scope of threads on this forum amuses me

[Random1]

My typical lunch is a left over or packed lunch, usually for health reasons, I can control the calories better, but also just for laziness, it is just easier for me. My staff on the other hand usually orders something, and comes back with a large coffee drink. I just don’t get it. If I forget lunch usually go to local deli sandwich shop. I would skip lunch before going to Panera. I have never eaten at a Taco Bell, but I really don’t think I am missing anything.

[Hatton]

I usually just get a bagel at Panera so it is inexpensive.

[STATscans]

I pack and bring in cost about 1-2% of my hourly wage.

The average nurse and staff in my office order in quite a bit and it is something like 50% of their hourly wage. I do not get it.

I too am amazed at how many places stay open for business with they are charging.

I usually eat left over for lunch. I rarely ‘eat out’ at work. But I see nurses and techs who make 1/10 of what I make ‘go out for lunch’ multiple times during the week.

Example:
$10 a day for lunch (probably low end, but easier on math) x 5 days a weeks = $50 per week. Multiply this by 45 weeks comes to $2250. That’s less than what I make on Amazon, Tesla and Apple stocks a day on average. But if you’re making $70,000 a year that’s over 3% of your income, just on one meal a day.

It is crazy.

But if the economy tanked (and people stopped spending) so would all of our ‘investments’. We depend on the materialistic and fun loving society members to keep spending to keep the rich richer.

[CordMcNally]

I have never eaten at a Taco Bell, but I really don’t think I am missing anything.

Somebody has never needed food walking home from the bar at 2am.

[Lordosis]

I too am amazed at how many places stay open for business with they are charging.

I usually eat left over for lunch. I rarely ‘eat out’ at work. But I see nurses and techs who make 1/10 of what I make ‘go out for lunch’ multiple times during the week.

Example:
$10 a day for lunch (probably low end, but easier on math) x 5 days a weeks = $50 per week. Multiply this by 45 weeks comes to $2250. That’s less than what I make on Amazon, Tesla and Apple stocks a day on average. But if you’re making $70,000 a year that’s over 3% of your income, just on one meal a day.

It is crazy.

But if the economy tanked (and people stopped spending) so would all of our ‘investments’. We depend on the materialistic and fun loving society members to keep spending to keep the rich richer.

70K a year? How much do you pay your Techs?